Self-holding device



March 22, 1966 B FRYE 3241395 SELF HOLDING DEVICE Filed March 25, 1964 2Sheets-Sheet 1 24 ini 26 INVENTOR. BRuc-E I FR ya March 22, 1966 B. J.FRYE &2413795 SELF-HOLDING DEVICE Filed March 25, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2FILE'. .ZD

INVENTOR. Eki/CE J' FRVE United States Patent O 3,241,795 SELF-HOLDINGDEVICE Bruce J. F'ye, 1806 Longview Drive, New Brighton 12, Minn. FiledMar. 25, 1964, Ser. No. 354,703 6 Claims. (Cl. 248-28) This inventionrelates to improvement in a product -comprisng an article holding deviceparticularly adapted to be self supporting by being removably selfadhesive. More particularly the invention herein relates to an articleholding member having a side having a non-Sticky or non-tacky surfacestructure which has a removable pressure responsive self adhesivecharacteristic of unlimited duration and the load carried by said memberis centered substantially centrally of said side.

It is an object of this invention therefore to provide an improvedreleasable self supporting article holding device.

It is another object of this invention to provide an article holdingdevice which is removably adhesive to a smooth substantially non poroussurface.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide an articleholding device arranged and constructed to have one surface portionthereof having a non-tacky removably self adhesive surface having anadhesive characteristic of unlimited duration with respect to a smoothsurface leaving no residue upon removal and being arranged to have theload carried thereby substantially centered relative to said adhesivesurface.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fullyset forth in the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer tosimilar parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view of applicant's device in front elevation in Operatingposition;

FIG. 2 is a View in vertical section on an enlarged scale taken on line2-2 of FIG. 1 as indcated;

FIG. 3 is a View similar .to FIG. 1 showing a modification;

FIG. 4 is a view in vertical section on an enlarged scale taken on line4-4 of FIG. 3 as indcated;

FIG. 5 is a View in front elevation on `an enlarged scale of anothermodification of applicanfis device with portions thereof shown in dottedline;

FIG. 6 is a view in vertical section taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 5 asindcated;

FIG. 7 is a View in front elevation of another modification ofapplicanfs device;

FIG. 8 is a View similar to FIG. 7 on an enlarged scale showing articleholding means in connection therewith;

FIG. 9 is a view in vertical section taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 8 asindcated;

FIG. 10 is a View in horizontal section on an enlarged scale taken online 10-10 of FIG. 7;

FIG 11 is a top plan view of another modification of applicant's deviceshowing the same in Operating position;

FIG. 1'2 is a View on an enlarged scale in vertical section taken online 12-12 of FIG. 11 as indcated;

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 1 taken in perspective on an enlargedscale showing applicant`s device in Operating position; and

FIG. 14 is a view taken in vertical section on line 14-14 of FIG. 13 asindcated.

Referring to the drawings and with particular reference to FIGS. 1, 2,13 and 14, a preferred embodiment of applicant's device is shown and isindicated generally by the reference character 10. Applicant`s devicecomprises a main body portion 12 which may be otherwise "ice forme-d butwhich is here disclosed formed of a flexible relatively soft :sheet ofplastic material such as of poly- Vinyl chloride, and having a polishedside forming a back or undersurface 13. A chief characteristic of thismaterial is that said polished surface will adhere to another polishedsurface and will adhere most effectively to a clean polished or smoothnonporous surface. Said surface has been found to have especially goodadherence to a surface such as of glass or tile and thus said backsurface 13 forms a non-tacky removable pressure sensitive adhesivesurface having an adhesive characteristic of unlimited duration. Undersuch conditions said body member 12 in adhering to a polished nonporoussurface has been found *o have substantial load hearing capacity.

The particular characteristic of relatively soft polyvinyl chloride asabove set forth has been disclosed in applicants Patent No. 3,098,272,dated July 23, 1963. Within the disclosure herein however, the applicantsets forth specific improvement in the disclosed product or device overwhat is shown in said patent.

Said body portion 12 has been found to have substantial load hearingCapacity in a specific .type of application. Any separation of an edgeof peripheral portion of the body portion 12 from the surface to whichit is adhering will negative its load hearing capacity and said portionwill readily come free from the supporting surface. Thus the perimeterportion of said body portion has very limited load hearing capacity.However it has been found that when a load is .applied centrally of saidbody portion 12 or if applied directly to an area spaced inwardly of theperimeter of said body portion, then said body portion has a verysubstantial load bearing capacity of unlimited duration. The maximumload bearing Capacity of said body portion 12 is utilized with acentrally applied load.

Overlying the upper half of the outer surface or upper surface of saidbody portion 12 is a sheet of flexible material ,16 of substantialtensile strength indicated here as being a sheet of plastic materialwhich is secured to said body portion 12 as by bonding or fusing bymeans well known in the art Extending centrally transversely from thelower edge portion 17 of said sheet of material 16 is a tab or flapmember 19. It is within the scope of the invention herein to have saidtab member secured to said body portion 12 in various other ways, suchas by being directly integral therewith as by fusing or bonding.

Various article holding means may be made integral with said tab member.In the instant embodiment a hook member 20 is shown overlying said tabmember 19 and having a reinforcing plate member 21 underlying said taband being secured thereto through said tab mernber by a rivet 22.

operation Tto be put into use, the body portion 12 will be pressedagainst a suitable surface 24, such as a surface of glass or tile, firstwiping said surface clean. Pressure applied against substantially thewhole upper surface of said member 10, such as by moving the ball of thethumb thereover, is all that is required for good adherence. The member10 is then ready for immediate use. Any desired article may be hung ontoor secured to the hook member 20.

The entire load 'being hung onto said hook member 20, such as the workpiece or article 15, may be looked upon as being centered along thecentral upper secured edge portion of said tab member 19. The effect ofthe load on the member 10 and more specifically on the main body portion12 is indicated in FIGS. 13 and 14.. Thus the load is applied centrallyof said body portion 12. It is noted that at the point where the directefiect of the load is felt there is a tendency of a slight pulling awayof the body portion 12 from the supporting surface 24 within the smallarea indicated by the reference character 14. This occurs when the loadapproaches the maximum holding Capacity of said body portion 12, Theholding principle of said body portion 12 or more specifically of theside 13 is not fully understood. It is believed that there is a partialvacuum created and that at least some molecular adhesion is present. Thesmall area 14 which is indicated as tending to pull away from saidsupporting surface 24 is for all practical purposes pulling against avacuum and that this area does not appear to increase in extent with thepassage of time.

Applicant's holding member when on the order of one and one-half inchessquare in size has been found to support a weight of fifteen pounds foran unlimited period of time. When it is desired to remove the member 10,it is necessary only to raise a small peripheral portion and the wholedevice will readily come free. There is no adhesive residue to cleanaway and the adhesive elfect or characteristic of said side 13 does notappear to diminish through use.

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, a modification of applicant`s device isshown and is indicated generally by the reference character 25. Saiddevice 25 comprises a main body portion 26 identical to said bodyportion 12 and has bonded or fused thereto in a manner well known in theart a rigid plate member 27 substantially smaller in size than said bodyportion 26 and is Situated centrally thereof. Integral and rigid withsaid plate member 27 and projecting therefrom is an article holdingmember 28 shown here to be in the form of a hook. Said member 28 howevermay be variously fornred.

The use of this device is obvious from the description thereof and fromthe use described in connection with the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2.Said 'member 25 is shown in connection with the supporting surface 24.

Another modification of applicanfs device is shown in FIGS. and 6 and isindicated generally by the reference character 30. Said modified device30 mounted on the supporting surface 24 comprises a main body portion 32identical in Construction to the body portion 12 hereinbefore described,

Overlying said main body portion 32 is a member 33 here shown in theform of a sheet of suitable plastic material bonded or fused to saidunderlying portion 32 and comprising a lower portion 34 and an upperportion 35 having a separation therebetween and having said separationcoupled by a pair of horizontally disposed web portions 36 and 37 spacedinwardly at their remote ends from the side edge portions of said mainbody portion 32 and being spaced apart therebetween at their adjacentend portions. Said Web portions as 'indicated in FIG. 6 are integralwith said portions 34 and 35 but are free from attachment with saidunderlying body portion 32. It is within the scope of the inventionherein that said web portions may be directly integral with saidunderlying body portion 32.

An article holding member 39 here indicated as being a hook is showncarried by said web portions 36 and 37. Said hook member is shown havingears 41 and 42 underlying said web portions and being supported thereby.

The use of this modification of applicant's device is believed obviousfrom the description thereof and from the description of the use of thefirst embodiment above described.

With reference to FIGS. 7-10, a modification of applicanfs device isshown being indicated generally by the reference character 40 'which isshown mounted upon the supporting surface 24.

Said device 40 comprises a main body portion 41 identical to said bodyportion 12 having spaced Overlying portions 42 and 43 of suitableplastic sheet material bonded or fused thereto and being separatedcentrally vertically the'eof as illustrated. Said separated portions arejoined by a web 44 of relatively narrow width integral with the spacedadjacent edge portions of said portions 42 and 43 and being free of theunderlying body portion 41.

Said web is adapted to support an article holding member of suitableConstruction which in the present embodiment is shown in the form of aspring loaded clip 45 having a reversely curved rear plate portion 46forming a clamp which is disposed or clamped over said web 44 asillustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9.

The application or use of this modification of applicant`s device isbelieved to be clearly indicated from the description thereof taken inview of the first embodiment above described.

A final modification of applicant's device is indicated in FIGS. 11 and12 hearing the general reference character 50 Overlying supportingsurface 24 and is shown to be substantially triangular in form having amain body portion 51 identical except for configuration with said bodyportion 12 first above described.

Overlying said body portion 51 and bonded or fused thereto is a member52 of suitable plastic sheet material having a triangular web portion 53centrally thereof. Said web portion has integral with said sheet member52 side or leg portions 56 and 57 spaced inwardly 'from the respectiveouter edge portions of the corresponding sides of said member 52 andhaving its side 58 free and spaced inwardly from the corresponding sideof said member 52. Said portion 53 thus in the form of a web integralwith said portion 52 forms a pocket with said underlying body portion51. Said free side 58 forms an opening into said pocket into which maybe received a portion of an article such as a corner of a sheet member55.

Thus, for example, four of the members 50 suitably arranged could veryreadily support a window or wall sign by simply receiving and supportingthe corners thereof.

Thus it is seen that I have provided a very simply constructed selfadhesive article holding device which has proved to be Very effectiveand successful in commercial use.

It Will of course be understood that various changes may be made in theform, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts, withoutdeparting from the scope of applicant's invention which, generallystated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects aboveset forth, in the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and definedin the appended clai'ms.

What is claimed is:

1. A holding device of the type described comprising a body portion offiexible material having one side thereof naturally self adhesive andforming a unitary unbroken surface removably adhesive with respect to asmooth surface, said body portion being adapted to form an air sealabout its peri'meter relative to a supporting surface,

a member integral with the other side of said body portion havingengagement therewith substantially centrally thereof with respect tosaid body portion taken as a whole,

said member comprising a pair of web portions having spaced adjacentends and having side portions integral with said body portion forminghorizontally disposed sleeves, and

an article holding means comprising a hook member having oppositelyeXtending ear portions of relatively short lengths respectively carriedby said sleeves and said ear portions are centrally located transverselyof said body portion.

2. A holding device of the type described comprising a body portion offlexible material having one side thereof naturally self adhesive andforming a unitary unbroken surface removably adhesive with respect to asmooth surface, said body portion being adapted to form an air sealabout its perimeter relative to a supporting surface,

a member integral with the other side of said body portion havingengagement therewith at a central portion thereof With respect to saidbody portion taken as a whole,

said member comprising a Web having a pair of opposed side portionsthereof integral with said body portion and having the portion betweensaid side portions free from said body portion forming a sleeve, and

an article holding means carried by said sleeve.

3. A holding device of the type described comprising a body portion offlexible material having one side thereof naturally self-adhesive andforming a unitary unbroken surface removably adhesive With respect to asmooth surface, said body portion being adapted to form an air sealabout its perimeter relative to a supporting surface,

a member integral with the other side of said body portion havingengagement with a portion thereof spaced inwardly from the perimeter ofsaid body portion taken as a whole,

said member comprising a flap having one end portion integral with saidbody portion and having a free hanging portion,

said integral portion being positioned substantially centrally of saidbody portion, and

an article holding means carried by said member.

4. A holding device of the type described comprising a body portion offlexible material having one side thereof naturally self-adhesive andforming a unitary unbroken surface removably adhesive with respect to ,asmooth surface, said body portion being adapted to form an air sealabout its perimeter relative to a supporting surface,

a member integral with the other side of said body portion havingengagement With a portion thereof spaced inwardly from the perimeter ofsaid body portion taken as a whole,

said member comprising a Web having spaced portions integral with saidbody portion centrally thereof and a portion thereof free of said bodyportion therebetween, and

an article holding means carried by said free portion.

5. A holding device of the type described comprising a body portion offlexible material having one side thereof naturally self-adhesive andforming a unitary unbroken surface removably adhesive With respect to asmooth surface, said body portion being adapted to forim an a-ir sealabout its perimeter relative to a supporting surface,

a member integral With the other side of said body portion havingengagement With a portion thereof spaced inwardly from the perimeter ofsaid body portion taken as a whole, and

said member comprising a web having spaced portions integral with saidbody portion centrally thereof and a portion thereof free of said bodyportion therebetween.

6. A holding device of the type described comprising a body portion offlexible material having one side thereof naturally self-adhesive andforming a unitary unbroken surface removably adhesive with respect to asmooth surface,

said body portion being adapted to form an air seal about its perimeterrelative to a supporting surface,

a member integral with the other side of said body portion havingengagement therewith in areas spaced inwardly from the edges of saidbody portion,

at least one portion of said member being free of said body portion inan area centrally located With respect to said body portion, and

article holding means carried by said free portion.

References Cited by the Examine' UNITED STATES PATENTS 491,148 2/1893Turck 24-67 1,826,0 37 10/1931 Allen 248-28 1,863,430 6/1932 Woerner40-158 1,976,607 10/1934 Engel 40-158 2,008,019 7/1935 Horlick 24-672,l4l,983 12/1938 HaWie 24-250 2,7 24,5 68 11/ 1955 Rabinovitch 248-292,765,998 10/1956 Engert 248-29 3,052,436 9/ 1962- Margulis 248--283,098,272 7/1963 Frye 24-67 FOREIGN PATENTS 353,857 6/1961 Switzerland.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, P''mary Exam'ner.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Examiner.

R. P. SEITTER, Assistant Exa-m'ner.

1. A HOLDING DEVICE OF THE TYPE DESCRIBED COMPRISING A BODY PROTION OFFLEXIBLE MATERIAL HAVING ONE SIDE THEREOF NATURALLY SELF ADHESIVE ADNFORMING A UNITARY UNBROKEN SURFACE REMOVABLY ADHESIVE WITH RESPECT TO ASMOOTH SURFACE, SAID BODY PORTION BEING ADAPTED TO FORM AN AIR SEALABOUT ITS PERIMETER RELATIVE TO A SUPPORTING SURFACE, A MEMBER INTEGRALWITH THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID BODY PORTION HAVING ENGAGEMENT THEREWITHSUBSTANTIALLY CENTRALLY THEREOF WITH RESPECT TO SAID BODY PORTION TAKENAS A WHOLE, SAID MEMBER COMPRISING A PAIR OF WEB PORTIONS HAVING SPACEDADJACENT ENDS AND HAVING SIDE PORTIONS INTEGRAL WITH SAID BODY PORTIONFORMING HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED SLEEVES, AND AN ARTICLE HOLDING MEANSCOMPRISING A HOOK MEMBER HAVING OPPOSITELY EXTENDING EAR PORTIONS OFRELATIVELY SHORT LENGTHS RESPECTIVELY CARRIED BY SAID SLEEVES AND SAIDEAR PORTIONS ARE CENTRALLY LOCATED TRANSVERSELY OF SAID BODY PORTION.